Professor Shorty
by Oceanesta
Summary: Ed was pissed. The Colonel interrupts his precious sleep, only to tell him that his new assignment is to teach Alchemy at some school called Hogwarts where magic rules instead of science? However, no one warned him about the fat pink toad called Umbridge who has made it her life's ambition to get him fired. Oh, it is ON! Set during Harry's fifth year. Rated T for Ed's mouth.
1. Oh HELL no!

**Hello everyone! This is my first crossover fanfic, so I hope you like it!**

**I was browsing through the Harry Potter/FMA crossovers, and I loved the ones where Ed was a teacher so I decided to make my own :D**

**Please review, it makes me feel loved and motivates me to update more often :)**

**Also, leave the flames to Roy, you're just making yourself sound like an idiot.**

**If I owned FMA or Harry Potter, why would I be writing a fan fiction? Keyword: FAN.**

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Ed was not happy. Not only was he not allowed to sleep in or have his morning coffee, but here he was in the Colonel's office listening to some crackpot old man talking about magic as if it were real.

Not. Happy. At. ALL.

He let his mind wander off, day-dreaming about being curled up in his warm, soft bed.

"FULLMETAL!" The Colonel's loud irritated voice brought Ed back to reality.

"Wha-?" His mouth stretched open wide in a yawn. The Colonel sighed and massaged his temple.

"Didn't you hear what I was saying?" Edward Elric, Ed for short, shook his head sleepily, which earned yet another sigh from the Colonel, Roy Mustang.

"Honestly... I'm talking about your new assignment. At least TRY to pay attenton?" Roy scolded. Ed sighed and agreed. The sooner he participated, the sooner this would be over and he could go sleep. Roy sighed.

"As I was saying, your new assignment is to teach Alchemy at this man, Albus Dumbledore's, school...um... what was it called again?" Roy scratched his head and looked at Dumbledore.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He filled in, his blue eyes twinkling. Ed had forgotten that there was another man in the room. Which was hard to imagine, considering the fact that he wasn't exactly the most normal looking old man. He had a white beard so long that he could easily tuck it into his belt and long white hair to match. He had soul-piercing blue eyes that twinkled with kindness, and a hint of mischief. He had a long crooked nose, that looked as if it had been broken twice. He was wearing the strangest long purple robes. Ed scoffed.

"Hogwarts School of Wi- WOAH, WOAH WAIT A MINUTE!" Ed stood up, furious. "TEACH? You want me to TEACH?! That's it, I'm out of here." He stormed toward the door.

"FULLMETAL!" Roy commanded. Ed stopped. "This is an order from your commanding officer. You will complete your assignment. I don't care what you think. Sit there and behave." Ed could tell from Roy's tone that he was completely serious. Ed turned around with a sigh and resumed his seat.

"Now, would you mind explaining to him what exactly he is required to do?" Roy asked Dumbledore.

"Certainly." Dumbledore said. "My name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, but you may simply call me Headmaster Dumbledore. I am the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is a school of magic," Ed snorted and Roy shot him a warning look. Dumbledore merely chuckled and continued. "You see, our world is in a bit of a crisis. We fear the strongest dark wizard of all time, Lord Voldemort, has returned. Our students need to be prepared." Ed raised an eyebrow at this.

"So your saying your own teachers are too weak to teach them how to defend themselves?" He asked, smirking. Much to his surprise, Dumbledore shook his head.

"Our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher resigned last year, and our replacement was assigned by the Ministry of Magic. I doubt she will teach them anything useful. That's why we need your help." The twinkle in his eyes left and were replaced with seriousness. Ed's brilliant gold eyes met his and he sighed.

"Fine. But just so you know, I still don't believe in magic. It completely ignores the law of Equivilent Exchange." Ed said arrogantly, crossing his arms. Dumbledore's eyes gained back their mischievious twinkle. With a wave of his wand and a few words muttered under his breath, the couch Ed was sitting on suddenly burst into flames. He yelped and jumped up in alarm.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT FOR, COLONEL?!" He yelled at a bemused Roy. He held up his hands as if to defend himself.

"Don't look at me!" Roy protested. Ed turned to see Dumbledore smiling as if he were satisfied. One more wave of the wand and the flames disappeared. Stunned, Ed walked over to the couch and hesitantly reached out to touch it (With his left hand of course). It wasnt charred at all, and the temperature was seemingly normal.

"Now, what don't you believe in, Professor Elric?" Dumbledore smiled. Ed cursed under his breath.

"Fine, you got me. What exactly do you want me to be teaching there anyway?" Ed asked. Dumbledore's smile widened.

"Alchemy." Ed groaned. Even better, now he has to teach a bunch of magical brats with their little fairy wands, about how Alchemy is NOT magic, and it is a science. He could already feel a whole year of migraines beginning to form.

"Alright, shall we go?" Dumbledore stood off and held out his arm to Ed. He looked at him in confusion.

"Take my arm." Dumbledore instructed patiently. Ed cautiously linked arms with the strange man.

"See ya, Professor Shorty." Roy taunted.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MIDGET SO SMALL THAT HE CAN FIT INSI-" Suddenly there was a loud crack and he wasn't in the Colonel's office anymore.

"-DE A TEA CUP?!" He finished, finding himself standing in front of a huge medieval looking castle. Ed was at a loss for words and his jaw dropped.

"Mr. Mustang had your brother pack your trunk for you. It is already in your room. He also told me to tell you to not worry about your brother, as he is in safe hands." Ed tutted. Of course the Colonel had already prepared his trunk, the bastard. Dumbledore led him all through the castle and Ed hurried after him. Finally, they had reached what Ed took to be his classroom.

"Here is your classroom. Down the trapdoor over there you will find your bedroom. Now then, I will leave you to get settled. When it is dinner time, I will send someone to come and fetch you. Until then." He smiled and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. Ed sighed and looked around his classroom. There were 30 desks, arranged in 3 rows of 10, all facing what Edward took to be his desk. He walked over to it and examined the drawers. Inside was a book titled "Alchemy for Beginners".

He picked it up and opened to the first page. 'Alchemy is a dead magic used to turn whatever the user wishes into gold.' Ed scoffed at this before continuing. 'Alchemy is also known for it's ability to create what is known as the Philosopher's Stone.' He gripped the book tighter and gritted his teeth. He closed the rubbish book and put it away in the drawer. He walked over to the blackboard and was irritated to find that there was no chalk. How was he supposed to teach an alchemy class, when he doesn't even have chalk to draw Transmutation Circles with?! He sighed before walking over to the trapdoor and climbed down to his new room.

He found his trunk sitting neatly in the middle of a dark red carpet in front of a fireplace. He opened his trunk and the first thing he found was a box of chalk. Ed chuckled to himself. Al really does know how to look out for him. He climbed into his four poster bed, and fell fast asleep, his hand pulling his shirt up to expose his stomach.

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**End of Chapter 1~**

**I hope you enjoyed it :D **

**I'm already writing Chapter 2, so it should be up before long. I'm usually a pretty fast writer.**


	2. Finally, dinner

**Yay it's chapter 2 already! I told you I'm a pretty fast writer [:**

**I just want to say thank you so much to WillowC1 and Akumu Lee Crimson for reviewing chapter 1~**

_**WillowC1- Oh wow I didn't even think of that when I was writing it xD Also, I'm glad you enjoyed Ed's line there. I too was laughing as I wrote it. In fact, I purposely made Dumbledore do that so I could make Ed accuse Roy :D. It's so fun messing with the characters. Thanks for the pointers. I think I'll probably have Ed encounter a boggart much later in the series, but who knows. I'm kind of writing this by ear so we'll see how it turns out ;]**_

_**Akumu Lee Crimson- I'm glad you like it! Although, I'm pretty sure Ed would kill me if he saw it xD**_

_**Also, thanks to... 'Guest' for reviewing too. I'm glad you enjoyed Ed's tantrums :D~**_

**Thank you guys for the support! Everyone, please continue to review~ It's the fuel for my fire~**

**Obviously I don't own anything, otherwise I wouldn't be writing a FAN fiction...**

**Anyways, enjoy chapter 2~!**

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Ed woke up many hours later and, yawning, reached into his pocket and pulled out his pocket watch. It read 5 o'clock. He put it away with a groan and pulled himself up out of bed. He stretched while he walked over to a body length mirror against the wall. He undid his braid and brushed out his long golden hair before retying it into back it's usual braid that reached his shoulder blades. He straightened his signature bright red long-sleeved and hooded cloak with a black Flamel on the back. Under his cloak he wore his usual outfit consisting of a sleeveless black shirt with a black jacket with white lining along the edges. He wore his brown belt, to which he attached his silver State Alchemist pocket watch, and standard black pants tucked into his black leather boots with thick red soles. Or, as Roy calls them, his 'elevator boots'. Lastly, he pulled on his white gloves that he wears to cover up his automail hand.

Once he looked acceptable, he opened his trunk to find that Al had packed several of Ed's favorite books on Alchemy. Ed smiled at this and took them out of his trunk and climbed the ladder to his classroom. With a quill in his hand, he began to make some lesson plans in preparation for his first class.

A few minutes passed and Ed heard a knock at the door. He straightened up in his chair and called out.

"Come in!"  
The door opened to reveal a tall severe-looking witch with her black hair pulled back into a tight bun. She wore emerald green robes and a pointed hat cocked to one side. Ed wondered if he would have to wear those horrible robes.

"Hello, my name is Minerva McGonagall. Transfiguration teacher and head of the Gryffindor house. Dumbledore sent me to escort the new Alchemy teacher to the Great Hall for supper," She frowned at Ed dissapprovingly. "You know, children aren't allowed to be the classrooms without a teacher present. As a matter of fact, you ought to still be making your way to the castle. What year are you? First? Second?" In Ed's mind, he only heard one word, 'children' and that was all he needed to hear.

"WHO DID YOU CALL A SHORTY THAT HAS TO BE LOOKED THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO ACTUALLY BE SEEN?!" He exploded, taking a step towards her. McGonagall withdrew her wand and took up a defensive stance. Ed restrained himself from immedietely kicking the lady's ass, and took a settling breath.

"My name is Edward Elric and I'm the new Alchemy professor. Also, I'm not a child. I'm 16 years old." When he spoke he had a strange accent that she couldn't quite place. She lowered her wand slightly and narrowed her eyes.

"YOU'RE the new Alchemy teacher? You seem awfully young." She said doubtfully. Ed smirked.

"Well, I AM the youngest State Alchemist, and a prodigy at that." Ed stuck out his chest proudly. McGonagall raised an eyebrow at that.

"Now, if you wouldn't mind lowering your...er...stick. I haven't had anything to eat since a quick breakfast thanks to that Colonel bastard, so dinner sounds really good right about now." He scowled at the thought of Roy. She reluctantly lowered her wand. She had a closer look at his face, and she noticed the peculiar color of his eyes. There was something in them that shouldn't be in a child's eyes. She suspected that he had experienced much pain in his few 16 years.

"Very well. If you will please follow me." She whisked away and Ed soon followed. He had to jog a little to keep up with her fast pace as she made her way through the maze that was the Hogwarts corridors.

Before long they had made it to the Great Hall. She opened the vast doors and Ed's jaw dropped yet again. There were four long tables along the vast length of the room, and another long table at the end which Ed assumed would be the staff table. In the air were thousands of floating candles, and as Ed looked around, he noticed the ceiling. Or, the lack of ceiling.

"U-um... why the hell isn't there a ceiling?" He asked hesitantly. McGonagall chuckled at this.

"Oh there is a ceiling. It's bewitched to look like the night sky." She proceeded to walk down the hall and take her seat at the staff table, leaving Ed to gawk. As an architect, he appreciated the way the room looked, even if it was caused by that magic bullshit. Once he had recovered, he too made his way down to the staff table and sat down. He was one of the last to arrive. He sat at the end, and to his right was a thin man with sallow skin and a long hooked nose. He had shoulder-length greasy black hair that framed his face, and pentrating black eyes.

Ed put his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his hand. The man next to him cleared his throat and Ed looked over at him.

"I'm Snape. Severus Snape. Potions Professor and head of the Slytherin house. You are?" He asked in an uninterested tone and offered his right hand. When he spoke he revealed yellow crooked teeth.

"Edward Elric. I'm the new Alchemy Professor." He said. He held out his right automail and shook hands, hoping the man didn't notice the unnatural hardness. Snape's eyes widened slightly as he shook his hand, but retained his composure.

Then, the students began to file in and sat at the four tables and the hall was soon filled with chatter. Ed noticed that there were still some empty seats. When the doors opened, the chatter quickly hushed. Ed's jaw dropped for the third time that day as he saw a huge man begin to lead a crowd of young, scared looking students. The man had long bushy black hair and matching beard. His beard obscured so much of his face, that you could barely make out his nose and his two black eyes that glinted like beetles.

McGonagall walked in front of the staff table holding a raggedy old hat and with a wave of her wand, conjured up a stool which earned a snort from Ed. He watched as one by one students sat on the stool and placed the old hat on their heads, which began to talk, much to Ed's surprise. As the Sorting carried on, Ed found himself falling into a daydream, which was broken later by the sound of applause. He jumped a little in his chair but clapped along with everyone else.

Dumbledore then rose from his seat and began to address the students.

"Hello everyone, and welcome to yet another term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you are probably aware by now, we have began to offer a new class this year. Alchemy," The room was full or murmurs. Some excited, some worried, and some confused. He held up a hand and the room was silent immedietely. "Which will we taught by Professor Edward Elric." He gestured towards Ed, who raised a hand and made an army salute out of habit. The hall erupted into applause. This time there were more murmurs than before, only they were mixed with giggles from the female students. Once again, Dumbledore held up a hand and the hall became instantly quiet. Ed had to admit, this guy definitely had knew how to earn respect. The Colonel should try that sometime. Ed snickered to himself at that.

"Also, we would like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dolores Umbridge." He gestured his hand to the far other side of the table. He figured that must be the teacher that Dumbledore believed that wouldn't be of any help to the students. Ed tried to crane his neck to see, but cursed. It wasnt because he was short, because HE'S NOT SHORT, DAMMIT! But the huge man from earlier was blocking his view. He sighed. It wasn't like he cared anyway. But one thing he noticed was the hall was entirely quiet. No applause at all, not even from the staff. Ed chuckled to himself at this. It seems that the students shared Dumbledore's feelings on the other new Professor.

Dumbledore continued on with his speech.

"Moving on. Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the-" He was interrupted by a girly sounding 'hem-hem'. Ed learned over and looked down the table to see a squat, fat woman dressed in a frilly pink outfit rise from her seat from the staff table. She walked to the front of the table and stood in front of Dumbledore.

"Thank you, headmaster, for those kind words of welcome," Ed was barely able to contain a bout of laughter when he heard her prissy voice.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of a vital importance. Although each headmaster has brought something new to this... historic school, progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected and prune practices that ought to be... prohibited!" She finished, contorting her wide, slack mouth in what he assumed was supposed to be a smile. She then resumed her seat at the table, leaving Dumbledore seemingly stunned. However, he quickly regained his composure and continued with his speech.

"Thank you Professor Umbridge. That really was most illuminating." Ed sighed and zoned out again until the end of the speech.

"Now then," Dumbledore spread his arms wide. "Let the feast begin!" As if on cue, food magically appeared on Ed's table. He jumped a little in surprise, and Snape next to him snickered. Ed shot him a glare before digging in. Everyone at the staff table looked down to see the young new Professor shoveling down his meal. He began to reach for his goblet before stopping. He turned to Snape, who was staring at him like he was an alien, with his mouth full of food.

"Wha drink ith thish? Isth not milk ith it?" He asked. Snape curled his lip in disgust.

"Pumpkin juice." Ed frowned at that. He had never had pumpkin juice before. He shrugged and downed the glass anyway. It was good. He patted his stomach with a satisfied sigh. The food was really good.

After dinner was over, McGonagall offered to lead him back to his room. Ed refused as he believed he could do it himself. He thanked her and made his way down the halls. He smiled proudly when he successfully found his room. He walked in and sat himself down at his desk and resumed his work on his lesson plans. A couple hours later he could barely keep his eyes open, in spite of all the sleep he had gotten earlier.

He climbed down the trapdoor and flopped down on the bed and fell fast asleep.

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**And, it ends. I hope I didn't make Ed seem too OOC when I kept making him space out... But do you really want to see me write up a huge ass welcoming speech? I didn't think so. Also, the reason I made him let McGonagall get away it was was because I really didn't want Ed to get off on the wrong foot with anyone during the first day. Snape is a different story, no matter what you do you'll always end up on the wrong foot with him...Anyways, please review and I will try to update as soon as I can.**

**Until next chapter~**


	3. Comprehension

**Yay, already on chapter 3 :D~ I'm really enjoying writing a crossover, I may have to write some other ones for different animes soon [:**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed so far! I really appreciate the support~**

**_Mon Esprit Libre- I was tempted to put the song in, but I didn't want to have to make Ed burst out laughing or wet his pants in the middle of dinner, so I decided against it xD_**

_**Anime Lover 3593- Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it [:**_

_**RowanQuill- Oh wow, thank you so much for the amazing compliment! But seriously though, I really appreciate that. I'll try my best to keep the story line uncliche, but no promises. After all, this is only my second fan fiction.**_

**Also, thanks to the 2 guests who reviewed 'Crystal' and...'Guest'...?**

_**'Crystal'- Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it [: Don't worry about Ed, in this chapter he'll show you that he's not gonna take any crap from anyone, even if they are taller than him.**_

_**'Guest'- Thank you so much :D**_

**AAAAANNNDDDD chapter 3 beginnsssss...**

**NOW!**

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Ed awoke the next day and checked his pocket watch. His first class with Gryffindor and Slytherin would be coming soon. He groaned and rose from bed. He grabbed his gloves that had fallen off in his sleep and redid his braid. He climbed the ladder to his classroom and straightened up his desk, putting his books away on his bookshelf. He grabbed a piece of chalk and wrote "Basics of Alchemy" on the chalkboard. When he finished he settled down in his chair and waited for his class to arrive.

A few minutes later, students began to file in. Ed sat there with a bored look until they were all seated. He rose from his chair and stood at the front of the class.

"Um... welcome to your first day of Alchemy class, I guess?" The class murmured among themselves.

"So... well... who can tell me what Alchemy actually is? Don't be shy." A girl in the front row with bushy brown hair and large front teeth shot up her hand. At least she was enthusiastic. Ed leaned against the front of his desk and pointed at her.

"Yeah. You. What's your name?"

"Granger, sir. Hermione Granger," She said with a bossy sounding voice. "Alchemy is a dead magic used to turn whatever the user wishes into gold. Alchemy is also known for it's ability to create what is known as the Philosopher's Stone." She said robotically.

"Straight from the book, eh?" Ed shook his head and she smiled proudly. "Wrong." Her smile faded and was replaced with a look of shock and her face blushed red in embarassment. The class whispered to each other in confusion. They had never seen Hermione get an answer wrong before, except in Divination.

"First of all, Alchemy is not magic. It's a science. And although it is possible to create gold using Alchemy, it's illegal because it would screw up the economy." He stood up and walked over to the chalkboard.

"There are three basic steps in Alchemy. Comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction," He spoke aloud as he wrote them down. He had to stretch his arm a little to reach the top of the blackboard as he wrote. A boy in the back of the class snickered.

"He sure isn't the tallest professor we've ever had." Some of the students giggled. Ed's arm froze and he spun around and threw the piece of chalk full force at the boy who had spoken out.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PIPSQUEAK MIDGET WHO CAN'T EVEN GO TO THE BEACH BECAUSE HE'S SO SMALL HE'D SINK INTO THE SAND AND WHEN THE TIDE COMES IN HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DROWNING BECAUSE HE'S SO MICROSCOPIC HE CAN BREATHE ALL THE OXYGEN ATOMS IN THE WATER?!" He exploded. The boy looked petrified.

"WHAT'S YOUR NAME AND HOUSE, ASSHOLE?!" The boy sunk into his chair.

"D-Draco M-M-Malfoy. S-S-Slytherin." He stuttered.

"20 POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN, AND YOU HAVE DETENTION WITH ME ALL NEXT WEEK. GOT IT?" The boy nodded rapidly.

"Good. Make sure you lot are writing this down," In a flash the entire class had taken out quills and parchment. Ed sighed. He hoped this class would go by fast. "As I was saying, there are three basic steps to Alchemy. Comprehension, deconstruction, and reconstruction," He waited until the sound of quills scratching on parchment stopped before continuing. "We'll start with Comprehension, and once you understand that we'll have a test on it before moving on to the second and third step. After that comes the final exam. If you fail the final exam you get booted out of my class. Any questions?" A girl in the front row next to Hermione raised her hand.

"You. What's your name?" Ed pointed at her.

"Lavender Brown, professor," She batted her eyes. Ed raised an eyebrow at this. "How old are you?" She asked, her voice dripping with flirtiness.

"16." He replied shortly.

"Hey! You're barely older than us!" A red-headed boy protested. A black haired boy next to him tugged on his sleeve and whispered for him to quiet down.

"So?" Ed shrugged.

"I guess Dumbledore's so desperate that he's begun hiring kids to teach." A large fat boy with no neck muttered from the back of the class.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORTER THAN ROY MUSTANG'S MINISKIRT?!" Ed roared. "WHAT'S YOUR NAME?!" The chubby boy looked like he was about to pee himself. He shook his head slowly and sank down into his chair.

"I SAID... WHAT IS YOUR NAME, YOU BASTARD?!" Ed repeated. Someone in the class called out.  
"His name is Vincent Crabbe from Slytherin."

"20 MORE POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN, AND DETENTION, NEXT WEEK WITH HIM!" Ed jabbed a gloved finger at Malfoy. He spun on his heel and walked over to the blackboard. He shot a glare over his shoulder.

"Anyone else have any questions?" He asked, his voice as cold as ice and his golden eyes ablaze. The class was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. "Good." He returned his attention to the blackboard and grabbed a new piece of chalk.

"Comprehension is understanding the inherent structure and properties of the atomic or molecular makeup of a particular material to be transmuted, including the flow and balance of potential and kinetic energy within. Got that?" He turned to see the class scribbling furiously to copy what he had written down. He grinned sadistically. This was becoming fun. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his pocket watch. Class would be ending soon. When everyone in the class had finished, he pulled out a stack of periodic tables and handed them to the four kids seated in the front.

"Pass them back." Once every kid had a copy he gave them their assignment.

"Your homework is to memorize all of the elements on here for your next class, 2 days from now. Shouldn't be too hard, eh?" Ed grinned. The red-headed kid from earlier raised his hand cautiously. Ed pointed at him.

"Name?" He asked shortly.

"Ron Weasley, sir. What happens if we fail to memorize them all?" He asked, wincing. Ed chuckled darkly to himself.

"You fail." He said with an evil grin. Ron paled.

By the time the bell rang the class practically ran out, leaving Ed to chuckle to himself. He was enjoying the authority he had, but he had to make sure it wouldn't go to his head like it did with that bastard Colonel. Ed sat down in his chair and sighed contentedly. He had another class of students coming in later, so he made sure he had enough periodic tables ready. If he didn't, he could always make Malfoy and Crabbe make more for him. He began working on a list of possible questions for the Comprehension final exam when there was a small knock at the door. He checked his pocket watch. His next class wasn't due for another hour. Frowning, he called out.

"Come in!" The door opened to reveal none other than Professor Umbridge standing in the doorway. Ed raised an eyebrow.

"Can I help you?" He asked, trying to be as polite as he could manage. She smiled what she thought was a sweet smile and walked towards his desk.

"Hello. I just thought I would come to introduce myself, since we're both new professors and all, hee-hee! My name is Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister." She extended a pink-sleeved arm with fat stubby fingers donning several ugly old fashioned rings.

Once again, Ed had to shake someone's hand with his right automail. He really should start offering his left arm before they can. It would be troublesome if the people here found out what he did. He shook her hand reluctantly.

"My name is Edward Elric. State Alchemist Major in the Amestrian State Military." Ed, lost in his thoughts, shook her hand a little rougher than intended making her wince a bit.

"My, my. That sure is a strong handshake!" She contorted her face into yet another smile. "Now then, it looks like your a tad busy, so I'll leave you to your work!" She turned and walked, or rather hobbled, back to the door.

"We'll be seeing each other again soon. Hee-hee!" She smirked, closing the door behind her.

Ed groaned and massaged his temple. Now that was one meeting he was not looking forward to.

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**Yay, it's over! What did you think? I had a lot of trouble writing Umbridge's dialogue, because I kept shuddering as I wrote it xD**

**I'll try to get chapter 4 uploaded before long~**

**Please review and tell me if you liked it or not**


	4. First Exam

_**I screwed up in the second chapter. I completely forgot that Hagrid was supposed to have been on his trip with the giants. I'm soo sorry D: So, let's just say that he came back a little early but his trip definitely did happen.**_

**Now that that's cleared up...**

**Yay, another update! *wipes sweat off forehead, but not really* **

**Sorry it's so short and a bit boring, but it was originally too long and it left off at a really bad part, so I decided to just make it short. On the bright side, I'm already a few paragraphs into chapter 5 :D**

**I just now noticed the little 'Reply' button next to reviews, so I'm going to use that from now on instead of shoving them in here.**

**Without further adieu, here is chapter 4, First Exam~!**

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The rest of the day passed uneventfully. All of his other classes for the day were assigned the same assignment, and given the same instructions regardless of their year. Exhausted, Ed fell asleep at his desk after he last class was dismissed, and awoke the next day when someone tapped his shoulder. He bolted upright and looked around him to find Hermione standing beside him looking at him uncertainly, and the rest of his class staring at him with confusion. He blushed bright red and quickly stood up.

"Sorry about that. Thanks, Granger. You can go sit now." She nodded and walked quickly to her seat in the front row. Ed cleared his throat and straightened his cloak.

"Alright. How many of you guys actually memorized the periodic table?" Everyone raised their hand. Ed snorted.

"Ok. Now how many of you _really_ memorized the table?" Some of the kids sheepishly dropped their hands and Ed smirked.

"That's a little better. Oh well, sucks for you then. But guess what? I don't care." Ed handed the test to the first four kids and told them to pass it back.

"Have fun. Bring it up to the front when you're finished and I'll grade it on the spot and pass them back at the end of class." The class nodded simultaneously.

"Oh, by the way," The class looked up to see Ed grinning evilly. "If you get a single question wrong, you fail." The class' jaws dropped. He could have sworn Hermione was about to pass out.

"That's ridiculous! Wait until my father hears about this!" Malfoy yelled from the back of the room.

"I don't give a shit about your father, Malfoy!" Ed yelled back. "Besides, I have a good reason for this, which I'll tell you next class. So shut the fuck up and take your damn test!" Malfoy paled and immedietely directed his attention towards the test, as did the rest of the class.

Hermione was finished 10 minutes later and brought hers up to the front of the class. A while later the rest of the class got up and one by one, handed Ed their tests. They sat there in silence for a few minutes while Ed finished grading them.

Finally, he stood up and walked around the class passing out their tests. He hadn't moved around much the last couple of days, so his left automail leg was a little stiff and he walked with a slight limp. Sleeping at his desk last night didn't really help either. Once he had finished he leaned against the front of his desk, wincing slightly at the stiffness in his left leg.

"Alright. Those of you who passed, congratulations," Hermione, Harry, Ron, Malfoy, Lavender, Parvati, and several other students cheered.

"Those of you that failed, tough luck. You can try to take the test again any time before the final exam. Just come by my room. Until then you can just sit in, but you aren't allowed to try any alchemy until you pass all of the tests." He checked his pocket watch and they still had five minutes left in class. He sighed and put his watch away.

"We still have five minutes left. Does anyone have any questions or anything?" Lavender's hand shot up and Ed pointed at her.

"Ummm, I was wondering... where are you from? I can't quite place your accent." She put her elbows on the desk and rested her chin in her heads, gazing at him.

"Amestris. Anyone else?" Ed said shortly. Someone else raised their hand while Lavender pouted.

"Yeah?"

"Where's Amestris?"

"Far. One more question." Ed smirked. This time, Hermione raised her hand and Ed pointed at her.

"Is your left leg hurt?" She asked innocently. Ed's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, on the first day of school you seemed fine, but today you were limping." She explained. Ed's stomach sank.

"I'm fine." He muttered. She frowned.

"Are you sure? If you're hurt Madam Pomfrey wi-"

"I'm FINE!" He said harshly. She recoiled as if she'd been struck. "Mind your own business, Granger." He added more softly. The class became quiet and Hermione suddenly gained an interest with her fingernails for the remainder of class. When the bell rang everyone got up and left silently, leaving Ed sitting at his desk with his head in his hands.

* * *

**Dun dun dunnnn...**

**I know, I know, it was short and boring but don't worry I'll try to make it up for you with the next chapter.**

**So, I started to kind of spark the student's curiosity about Ed's background, so we'll see how it goes~ **

**Also, sorry if you kind of get the idea that Lavender will be with Ed, because that's not the case. As of now, I'm determining whether or not to have Winry come in later to fix his automail. If that happens, then there will be hints of EdWin, but this story will not focus heavily on romance. There will also be no yaoi/yuri or anything like that.**


	5. Coworkers

**Hey everyone! I can't believe I'm already on chapter 5 xD**

**But starting next week I'm back in school, so I won't be able to update as often. But I'll definitely try to update at least once a week.**

**I tried to make up for the previous boring chapter, so please review and tell me how I did~**

* * *

The rest of his classes went by smoothly. He decided to wander around the castle grounds to help loosen up his automail. He successfully made his way to a large field with 3 uneven hoops at each end surrounded by a bunch of stands with rows of bleachers. Ed figured it was used for a sport of some sort.

He continued walking until he reached a small, shabby looking hut. Curious, Ed peeked through the window and gasped when he saw the giant man from dinner talking with Umbridge. The man turned around and Ed ducked, holding his breath. He was squatting down, automail screaming, praying that the man wouldn't discover him. The last thing he wanted to do was be taken as some sort of peeping tom. After a while Ed scooted out from under the window and began to hurridly walk away, his limp increasing. What on earth was wrong with his automail? Even his arm was bothering him now.

"Well hello there! Can I help yeh?" Came a booming voice from behind him. Ed froze and turned around to see the man standing in the doorway, with Umbridge next to him.

"U-uh no... you see, I was just...uh... exploring! Yeah, and I came across your...er... hut and I didn't mean it to seem like I was eavesdropping, 'cause I wasn't!" Ed stuttered.

"Aw, tha's quite all right. Would yeh care ter join us fer some tea?" Hagrid offered. Ed was about to answer, but was soon interrupted

"Hem-hem... Well, Mr. Hagrid, if you don't mind I_ really_ ought to get going. I've got a lot of things to do! Busy, busy, hee-hee!" She said, her voice dripping with sweetness, making Ed nearly gag in the process. She began walking up the hill towards the castle. Ed could have sworn she whispered something when she passed him, but he couldn't make it out.

"Did you say something?" Ed frowned. She stopped and turned around to face him, contorting her face into yet another smile.

"Why, I said_ nothing_! Nothing at all...Professor." She turned and continued walking towards the castle. Ed shrugged.

"Well, now tha' tha's over, would yeh like some tea?" Hagrid offered again. Ed shrugged again.

"Sure, might as well." He walked down the hill and entered the cabin. Inside there were hams and phesants hanging from the ceiling, and a fireplace with a copper kettle hanging over the roaring fire. In the corner there was a massive bed with a large patchwork quilt over it, and much to Ed's confusion, a pink umbrella hanging on a rack.

"So, how are yeh likin' Hogwarts so far?" Hagrid asked while he poured the tea. Ed sat on a crude wooden chair by a matching table.

"Um, it's alright. By the way... who are you?" Ed asked bluntly.

"Bloody hell, I haven't introduced mesself yet! Me name is Rubeus Hagrid. I'm the Keeper o' the Keys an' Grounds here at Hogwarts." He handed Ed a cup of tea and sat down opposite from him, setting his own cup down on the table.

"I'm Edward Elric, I'm the Alchemy professor." Before Hagrid could do anything Ed stuck out his left hand. Hagrid looked at him oddly for a moment before taking it. They sat there for a moment, sipping their tea.

"So, how did you get those injuries?" Ed asked. Hagrid nearly choked on his tea.

"W-Wha' injuries?" Hagrid coughed.

"Oh you know... Those cuts and bruises all over your face."

"U-um... nothing." Hagrid said lamely. Ed shrugged.

"It's fine. If you don't want to tell me then I completely understand." He said sincerely. Hagrid smiled appreciatively.

"So, what was Umbridge talking to you about?" Ed asked innocently. Hagrid choked on his tea again and Ed looked at him with a little amusement.

"P-pretty much *cough* wha' yeh asked m-me." Hagrid managed to choke out.

"Is that so..." Ed finished his tea and set the empty cup on the table. "I can't imagine her actually caring about any of the professors here without an ulterior motive. It seems to me that all she cares about is that Ministry crap." Ed scoffed. Hagrid laughed.

"Well ain't tha' the truth!" Suddenly his face became serious. "But, yeh should watch yer back, Professor. There's some people in this world tha' yeh should keep yer distance from, fer yer own safety. Umbridge is one o' them." Ed shrugged.

"I'll keep my distance, but if she comes looking for trouble I'm gonna let her have it." Ed stood up wobbly. "Thanks for the tea." He limped to the door and cursed under his breath at his leg. His arm was also getting worse. With a sigh, he turned to face Hagrid.

"Where's Dumbledore's office?" He asked.

"In the Headmaster's Tower, third floor. Keep walkin' until yeh find a gargoyle. Last I heard, the password was 'Acid pops'." Hagrid informed him.

"Thanks." With a wave, he left Hagrid's cabin and headed back up to the castle.

* * *

After wandering around aimlessly for a while, he realized that he had no idea where the Headmaster's Tower was. Ed cussed under his breath and scratched his head, looking around and heading off down another hall. He turned a corner, only to be met with yet another dead end.

"GOD DAMMIT!" Ed screamed and kicked the wall in frustration, causing a portrait to fall off the wall.

"Hey!" A man's voice protested. Ed looked around in confusion.

"Huh? Who said that?"

"Down here you fool!" Ed looked down to see a painting of a farmer. Ed stared at it for a moment. There was no way this painting just talked to him.

"It's rude to stare you know." The man crossed his arms. Ed took several steps back.

"What is this? More of that magic shit?"

"Don't be disrespectful, young brat. Little kids should be in the dorms, working on their homework." The farmer smirked.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALLER THAN ROY MUSTANG'S PAYCHECK!?" Ed exploded. "I'M A PROFESSOR AND I'M TALLER THAN YOU! SO, HA!"

Ed stormed away, only to freeze and turn around.

"Where's the Headmaster's office?" He asked sheepishly. The farmer sighed.

"I"ll tell you if you put me back on the wall." He bargained. Ed obliged.

"Turn right, take the second left, and the staircase is on the right." The farmer instructed.

"Thanks." Ed said with a wave and he headed off.

* * *

Before long, he had successfully reached the gargoyle.

"Acid pops?" Ed said. The gargoyle stepped aside to reveal a spiral staircase. Ed sighed. Exactly what he needs with his automail acting up. More stairs. However, when he stepped on them he was shocked, but also relieved, that the staircase started moving. When it reached the top, he got off and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Came a voice from inside. Ed pushed open the door to see Dumbledore standing by what looked like a silver basin with strange rune markings on the side.

"Ah, Edward. What can I help you with?" He smiled.

"I was wondering if it would be possible to have of my friends visit me here at Hogwarts." Ed asked, though it sounded more like a statement.

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"For what purpose?" Dumbledore asked. Ed dropped his gaze.

"I know the Colonel bastard probably told you all about what I did, didn't he?"

"He told me how you tried to revive your mother and lost your arm and leg and your brother's body in the process." Ed gritted his teeth.

"Anyway. My automail has been bothering me lately. The person I want to invite is my mechanic."

"I see... well, it doesn't surprise me that your... automail is hurting you. In Hogwarts, most Muggle technology doesn't work because of all the magic in the air. It amazes me that you're able to move it at all, your mechanic must be quite skilled." Dumbledore praised.

"She is." Ed smiled fondly.

"Very well. I will send someone to go fetch her tomorrow. Where does she reside?" Dumbledore asked.

"Rush Valley in Amestris. Atelier Garfiel," Ed said. "Also, I think I should probably call her ahead of time so she'll have time to prepare. Do you have a phone I can use?"

"A phone? Is that a sort of muggle device?" Dumbledore asked, curious.

"You mean you don't have phones here?!" Ed asked, shocked. Dumbledore shook his head with a frown.

"Well, how about a way to send a letter?"

"Ah! Of course! If you just head up to the Owlery at the top of the West Tower with your letter you'll be able to borrow a school owl." Ed nodded.

"Thank you." Ed turned and began to walk away before stopping. "By the way, I don't suppose I can have a map of the school?" Ed asked sheepishly. Dumbledore chuckled.

"I don't blame you. The castle's halls are pretty complicated." He pulled a piece of parchment out of a drawer and waved his wand over it, and soon a complete map of the school had appeared. Ed took it and set off.

"Thanks." He said as he closed the doors and proceeded down the staircase. Dumbledore chuckled.

"I sure did make a good choice..."

* * *

Ed panted as he climbed the staircase to the Owlery. He had stopped by his office earlier to write out a letter for Winry. Finally, he had reached the top. He grinned proudly at his success and walked into the circular stone room, only to find none other than Severus Snape standing there. Ed froze. Snape whipped around and his eyes widened when he saw Ed. He quickly regained his composure, and turned around to continue writing a letter. Ed casually walked (or limped) inside, only to realize that he had no idea what to do. An owl flew down from a perch and Ed held out his arm, which the owl landed on. The owl stuck out it's leg and hooted impatiently at him. On his leg there was a ribbon tied to it. Ed untied the ribbon and wrapped it around the letter, then retied it. The owl stared at him as if he was waiting for something.

"Oh! Um... take it to Winry Rockbell in Rush Valley, Amestris at Atelier Garfiel." Ed said quietly to the bird, hoping that Snape wouldn't overhear. The bird bowed it's head and took off through the open window. Snape had sent his own letter, and was now standing by the doorway folding a letter.

Ed walked by him, keeping his eyes focused straight ahead. As Ed passed by, Snape suddenly grabbed Ed's right automail. Ed's eyes widened and his heart began to pound. Snape narrowed his eyes and curled his lip. He reached for Ed's glove with his other hand, but Ed quickly yanked his arm away and used his other arm to grab Snape by the the collar and pin him against the wall. Even with the height difference, Snape's eyes widened in alarm and his lip curled in a snarl. His penetrating black tunnels met Ed's burning gold orbs. They had a staring contest for a while, before Snape dropped his eyes to Ed's hand, which was still clutching his robe.

"...If you don't mind... I_ don't_ like to be manhandled. Especially by a_ kid_." He spat. Ed's grip tightened, his eyes never leaving Snape's.  
"_WHO_ did you call a kid?!" He hissed. Snape grit his teeth. Ed let go and slowly walked away, still keeping eye contact.  
"In the future, _don't_ fucking touch me." He threatened. When Ed left, Snape put his head in his hand. There was definitely something in his eyes that shouldn't be in a child's eyes. But the thing that scared him the most, was that they reminded him of his own.

* * *

**So, what did you think of the Ed/Snape confrontation?**

**I had a lot of trouble trying to get their reactions right while staying in-character.**

**So, please review and let me know how I did [:**

**Look forward to some EdWin next chapter :D~**


	6. Deconstruction

_**PLEASE READ!**_

_**I am SO sorry that it's so late! I can't apologize enough, so I hope that you'll forgive me ]:**_

_**This week I started school, and I've just been so wrapped up with everything that I just couldn't find the free time to work on it! Also, this week I'm starting swim practice so that just means I'll be having even LESS time to work on it. UGH. But please, bear with me D:**_

_**I also had a big case of writers block, so the chapter turned out to be pretty short.**_

_**I also want to know, would you guys prefer many short chapters, or fewer longer chapters?**__** Up until now I've just been cutting it off where I think is a good spot, but I really want to take your guys' opinions into thought.**_

_**So once again, sorry for the wait, here is chapter 6~**_

* * *

That night at dinner, Snape, who normally sat next to Edward, had moved to the other end of the table and in his place sat Umbridge. Ed wasn't sure who he hated sitting next to more. At least Snape minded his own business, but Umbridge was indiscreetly watching his every move. Fed up, Ed slammed his fork down on the table.

"Can I help you?" He said coldly. Umbridge merely smiled.

"I was only wondering if you might tell me where you are from?" She asked, feigning innocence. Ed sighed. He was tired of having to keep answering questions about his personal life. Maybe next class he should just spend the whole time telling everyone about every minute of his life, that should shut them up...

"Amestris." He replied shortly.

"Where is that, exactly?" She pressed. Ed gave in.

"South of Drachma, north of Aeurgo, east of Creta and west of the East Desert."

"Hmmm... how interesting, hee-hee!" She resumed eating her dinner and didn't speak for the rest of dinner, leaving Ed steaming.

* * *

Ed grabbed a piece of chalk and wrote 'Deconstrution' on the board. He turned around to face the class, who had their quills and parchments out at the ready.

"Alright. Those of you who passed your Comprehension test be sure to copy this down. Those of you who failed, you can still come by and retake it at any time. For now, I want those of you who passed to move to the front of the room and vice versa." He waited until everyone had reseated before continuing.

"Deconstruction is using energy to break down the physical structure of an identified material into a more malleable state so as to be easily reshaped into a new form." Ed recited as he wrote it down on the board, this time a little lower. As Ed leaned against his desk waiting for them to finish, he began to drift into his own little world when he thought he heard someone yell from outside the classroom. Most of the students turned around in confusion, and they heard it again.

"-RIC!" Ed frowned. Ric?

"-ARD ELRIC!" Ed's eyes widened. The door was flung open to reveal a blue-eyed girl with long light blonde hair tied into a high ponytail, complete with a green bandana. She wore a black and white halter with a large zipper down the front, complete with a beige worker's jumpsuit with the top down and tied around her waist. In her hand she held a wrench, which she soon threw at Ed with full force from across the room. The wrench connected and Ed collapsed, holding his head and groaning.

"Wiiinnryyy... What was THAT for?!" He complained. She stomped her way down the aisle and up to his desk, putting her hands on her hips and leaning over glaring at him.

"What's THIS I hear about some broken automail?!" She growled.

"Wait, Winry! Not here!" Ed tried to shush her, to no avail.

"Have you been reckless again? How many times do I have to te-" Desperately, Ed took his hand and put it over Winry's mouth. Her glare worsened as she tried to break free. Quickly, Ed grabbed her arm with his automail, wincing at the pain, and dragged her over to the trap door leading to his room. He briefly turned back to the class.

"I'll be right back. Just... chat, I guess." Ed instructed before climbing down the trapdoor, followed by a furious Winry.  
The class started to murmur in confusion.

"Did you hear her? What's automail?" A boy asked.

"I'm not sure. I've never even heard of it. What I want to know is if he's going to be all right after being hit with that wrench." Hermione said, concerned.

"Well, if Hermione's never heard of it then it can't be something so common. But why did it seem like Professor Elric didn't want us to know about it?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, but whatever it is I want to find out." Malfoy smirked.

"Malfoy, you shouldn't pry into people's business." Hermione scolded.

"Oh shut it, Granger." Malfoy sneered.

"What I want to know is who that girl was. She was pretty." Lavender said, jealous.

"Not sure. Perhaps one of his friends from Amestris?" Parvati suggested. Lavender gave a 'hmph' and tapped her fingers on the desk in irritation. The class quickly quieted down when Ed and Winry climbed back up and into the classroom.

"Sorry about that. This is my childhood friend, Winry Rockbell." Ed gestured to the girl, who looked a lot less angry and was now smiling.

"Nice to meet you all! I hope this shorty here hasn't been causing you too much grief." She grinned as she ruffled his hair. The whole class cringed and put their hands over their ears.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SUBATOMIC SHRIMP?! YOU GEARHEAD!" Ed exploded. Winry just smiled, ignoring his last comment.

"Anyways, go on with your lesson, don't mind me." She sat down in his chair and looked at him expectantly. With a sigh, Ed limped over to the chalkboard. Winry watched him carefully as he walked, her eyes narrowing a little.

"Okay... as I was saying... Deconstruction is using energy to break down the physical structure of an identified material into a more malleable state so as to be easily reshaped into a new form. Has everyone written that down?" The class nodded in unison. Ed walked over behind his desk and, with some difficulty, picked up a box and placed it on top of his desk. He opened it to reveal several medium-sized oak blocks. With a wave of his hand, the blocks flew across the room and landed neatly on the desks of those who passed, followed by a piece of chalk. Winry jumped a little in her seat.

"Woah! What was that?" She asked, flabbergasted. Ed shrugged smugly.

"What can I say? I've picked up on a new few tricks since I've been here. I am a fast learner after all!" He bragged. He then walked over to the chalkboard and drew a basic transmutation circle.

"This is a transmutation circle. They are used to focus and dictate the flow of power." Ed explained. "Take the chalk I gave you and draw it on your block. Those who haven't passed yet, make sure you pay attention and remember that you can retake the test at any time after class. Until then you aren't allowed to try any alchemy." He waited until everyone had finished drawing their transmutation circles before continuing.

"Now, watch closely." Ed picked up his own block with the circle drawn on it (He didn't want any questions about how he was able to do alchemy without a transmutation circle.), and set it on his desk in front of the class. He proceeded to place both his hands on it, and there was a familiar flash of blue light. The class gasped collectively and leaned forward in anticipation. When the light dissappeared, all that remained was a pile of rubble. The class sank back, dissappointed at the anti-climatic results. Ed ignored this.

"Alright. On the board is the chemical make-up, now I want you to try." Ed smirked smugly. "But you know, I don't expect any major results so don't be depressed when you fail." Majority of the class looked offended, especially Hermione. Winry stared at him with a stern look in her eyes. Ed sighed.

"But just try your best and let me know if you need any help..." He added unenthusiastically. Winry smiled and nodded her head in satisfaction. A girl raised her hand and Ed called on her.

"Sir, is Miss Rockbell your girlfriend?" She asked and the vast majority of the girls in the class leaned forward in their seats a bit. Ed blushed a brilliant shade of red and Winry barely manage to suppress a giggle.

"N-n-n-n-no! I-it's not like t-t-that!" He shook his head wildy and looked at Winry for support.

"R-r-right? T-tell them, W-W-Winry! We're just friends! N-n-nothing unusual..." The class stared at him in shock. This was the first time they had seen their professor act like this.

"J-just... D-DO YOUR TRANSMUTATIONS, NOW!" Ed yelled and crossed his arms, his face still bright red.  
The class snickered and proceeded to try to transmute the block of wood, but with little results. There were a few dim flashes of blue, but when they cleared the block remained intact. Frustrated, the class looked up at Ed for some assistance.

"Oh come on, are you giving up already?" Ed mocked, his face a much more normal shade. Hermione grit her teeth and tried once more, and there was a bright blue light, although not as bright as Ed's was. Everyone gasped. On her desk was a pile of rubble similar to the one on Ed's desk. She smiled proudly at her accomplishment.

"Good job, Granger." Ed walked over to her desk, trying to hide his limp as much as possible. He placed his hands on the pile and reverted it back to a block of wood.

"Now, do it again." Ed grinned evilly.

"Exactly how is turning a block of wood into a pile of rubbish going to help us in any way? It's completely pointless!" Malfoy protested. Ed raised an eyebrow of this.

"Are you stupid?" Malfoy recoiled slightly. "Do you have any idea how much damage this could cause? The ability to break down everything you touch?" Ed glanced at Winry, and she cast her eyes downward. "Besides, we still have one more step to go so save your whining for

then. That is, if you pass." Ed turned around so the class couldn't see his face.

* * *

All of Ed's other classes passed smoothly, and now he sat on his desk while Winry adjusted his automail.

"That man... what was his name? Bumblebore?" Winry asked.

"Dumbledore." Ed grumbled.

"Yeah, him. He said something about non-magic machinery not working here, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do much good," Winry noted.

"You should see him later and see if he has some magic solution. Literally and figuratively." She suggested. Ed nodded vaguely. He was glad that Winry had taken off his automail for the repairs. He had almost forgotten what it was like to be pain free.

"How's Al?" Ed asked quietly. Winry smiled.

"He's doing just fine. A little lonely, but he knows it can't be helped." Ed smiled fondly at the thought of his brother. His smiled vanished abruptly and he stared open mouthed at the door and his stomach lurched in dread. Winry noticed that he was distracted and frowned.

"Ed, what's wrong?" She followed his line of sight to see a man standing in the doorway. Winry wondered who he was and why Ed was so shocked to see him there.

"Snape." Ed hissed under his breath, his stare darkening.  
Snape's eyes widened at the sight of Ed's automail leg laying on the table, and his arm in Winry's gloved hands.

"Just as I thought," He muttered, too quietly for anyone to hear him. "The Headmaster would like to speak with you...alone, after your... appointment." His lip curled and he spun around and strode off in a brisk manner.  
After he was gone, Ed smacked his palm to his face and grimaced. That was the last thing he needed right now.

* * *

_**Again, I apologize profusely for the long wait and the shortness of this chapter. I also felt like I had some trouble with Winry's character, and I think that contributed to my writer's block.**_

_**Please review and tell me:**__** Do you prefer many short chapters, or few longer chapters?**_


	7. Second Exam

**Yes, yes, I know. It's been a month, and I said I would update once a week. I've realized that that is definitely not going to happen. However, I will promise you that I will not abandon this story. I already have the entire plot planned out in my mind, it's just the action of actually writing it out is so time-consuming. I've been bringing my laptop to school and working on it during homeroom. I'm actually uploading this chapter in homeroom right now, sooo...**

**I know it's been long, and I apologize profusely. But here is chapter 7 :]~**

* * *

Ed knocked impatiently on the big, heavy doors leading to Dumbledore's office. He had left Winry in his classroom after she had finished adjusting his automail, although it hadn't really helped. Even though Ed knew it wouldn't really help much since Dumbledore told him about the... what was it called? Mubble technology? A voice coming from inside the office snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Come in." Ed pushed open the heavy doors with some difficulty. Dumbledore looked up at Ed and pushed his half-moon glasses up his crooked nose and smiled.

"Hello, Professor Elric. I have been expecting you. Come." He stood up from his desk and walked over to the shallow stone basin that Ed noticed the first and only other time that he had been in Dumbledore's office.

"This," He gestured towards it. "Is a pensieve. When your mind gets too cluttered and overwhelmed, and I think you know the feeling, you can use the pensieve to store memories to review later." He explained. Ed nodded slowly.

"Why are you telling me this, exactly?" Ed asked, even though he already knew the answer.

"Well, I would like to offer one to you. I believe it may help you gather your thoughts and help you deal with being in a new, unfamiliar place. It also may help you with being away from your loved ones," He smiled warmly. "Like your brother, perhaps? Alphonse, was it? Not to mention once your girlfriend leaves for home." He winked and Ed blushed beet red.

"W-w-w-what are you t-talking about? Winry isn't my g-g-g... that!" Ed whirled around and stomped over to the door.

"It will be waiting for you in your classroom tomorrow morning, along with the instructions on how to use it. Good night, Professor Elric!" Dumbledore called after him with a smirk. Ed waved farewell without turning around and stormed out the door and down the gargoyle staircase. Dumbledore walked back over to his desk and sat down.

"Children these days..." He chuckled to himself and returned to his work.

* * *

Ed returned to his office to find Winry sitting in his chair with her feet propped up on his desk reading the so-called 'Alchemy textbook'.

"You know, this book is completely off." She said, without looking up. Ed sighed as he walked over to his desk and hopped up and sat on the edge.

"Mhmm, I know," Ed sighed. "Speaking of Alchemy , I need to prepare for tomorrow's class. They're going to be taking the test in Deconstruction." Ed hopped down and was about to kick Winry out of his seat, when he got an idea. He grinned.

"I've got an idea." He pulled the book out of Winry's hands, ignoring her protests, and set it down on the floor. He then grabbed the all the other bogus Alchemy books that were stored in his bookcase, and set those down as well. He clapped his hands together and touched his palms to the top book in the stack. There was a flash of blue light, and the stack of books were gone. In their place was a rather macabre looking chair. Ed grinned proudly as he admired his handiwork. Winry sighed.

He pulled his new chair up next to Winry, and began writing out his lesson plan for tomorrow's class. Ed leaned over and dipped his quill in his ink.

"I'm leaving tonight." Winry said bluntly. Ed's arm spazzed and he knocked over his inkwell, followed by a flurry of curse words. She giggled.

"T-tonight?!" He stuttered, his face bright red.

"Yep. He's letting me eat dinner here tonight and then I'm leaving right after." She grinned evilly and leaned towards him a bit. "Why? Are you going to miss me?" Ed's face blushed an even brighter shade of red.

"Y-you.. stupid gearhead! Who would m-miss you?!" He turned his chair around and pouted. Winry giggled again and patted his head.

"It's time for dinner, we'd better get going, squirt!" She walked over to the door and made a hand motion for him to follow her.

"More short jokes, huh?! YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!" He ranted as he stomped down the aisle to join her.

* * *

They arrived at the Great Hall late, and most of the students were already assembled. They walked awkwardly down the aisle with all of the student's eyes peeled on them. When they finally reached the table they realized that Winry had no place to sit. It seemed that all of the chairs for the students were taken. Ed looked at Dumbledore.

"Can't you just wave your stick and make one appear?" Ed asked, with only a hint of sarcasm.

"But of course." Dumbledore began to draw his wand, but was stopped by a little 'hem-hem'. Ed automatically flinched and turned around to see none other than the fat pink toad herself.

"Do excuse me, Professor Elric, but you are a professor here, yes?" She asked, as if she were speaking to a five year old. Ed nodded with a grimace.

"Then, it should be a simple matter for you to conjure a mere chair for YOUR guest, should it not?" Ed nodded again. Winry was shaking, trying to suppress her laughter.

"Then, please go on." She smiled and gestured to the end of the table, which had been extended to accomadate the extra person. Now it was Ed's turn to smile sweetly.

"You see, PROFESSOR Umbridge, I teach Alchemy. Alchemy is not magic, it's a science. It's impossible to make something out of nothing. I hope that you can respect that," Ed turned towards Dumbledore. "Now then, if you wouldn't mind." Dumbledore nodded and withdrew his wand again.

"Pity..." Umbridge tutted and turned to walk away. Ed froze and turned around slowly.

"Wood." He said bluntly. Umbridge smiled.

"That's more like it," She drew her own wand. "Accio lumber." A few seconds later, a large piece of lumber flew through the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Now then, would you need some nails or a hammer?" Umbridge smiled patronizingly.

"Nah. But you might want to stand back." Ed snickered and walked over to the wood, clapped his hands together, and placed them palms down on top of the lumber. There was a bright blue flash and the crowd gasped. In the wood's place, there was an enormous chair decorated with intricate designs along the legs, complete with macabre horns coming out of the top. The hall erupted in applause and Ed puffed out his chest proudly. Winry sighed and reluctantly took her new seat.

"Interesting. Hee-hee!" Umbridge smiled and returned to her seat while Ed took his own, still smiling proudly.

* * *

The rest of dinner passed uneventfully and Dumbledore had told Ed and Winry to stay behind in the Great Hall to send her back home. Dumbledore made the two inner tables scoot up against the wall to make room. They said their farewells and with a wave of his wand and a few magic words, a circle appeared on the floor around her feet. It began to glow brighter and brighter until Ed had to squint his eyes.

"Winry?" Ed asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"Take care of Al."

Winry smiled.

"Of course." With that, the light grew so bright that Ed had to close his eyes and look away, and when he opened them she was gone.

* * *

The next day, Ed was sitting in his chair with his feet propped up on his desk. One by one the students would attempt to deconstruct the block of wood on their desk, and he would write down whether they passed or not. The class had improved greatly since last time, but they still were nowhere near Ed when he was a kid.

"Next." Ed said in a bored tone as he wrote down the results for an unnamed Slytherin student. The class was silent.

"Um... Professor? Everyone's already had their turn." Hermione pointed out hesitantly.

"What? Oh... ok." Ed proceeded to read out the list of those who had passed. Among them were Hermione, Ron, Harry, Parvati, Lavender, and several other Gryffindor and Slytherin students.

"If you didn't hear your name, then that means you failed and you can come by my room after class to retake the test, but once we're finished with all the exams, you're booted from my class." Ed explained in monotone, his voice laced with boredom. Malfoy raised his hand and Ed nodded at him.

"Professor, I think you forgot to read my name off." Ed frowned and looked back at his list.

"Nope. You failed." Ed said bluntly.

"W-what are you talking about?!" Malfoy screeched. "I turned my block to rubble just like everyone else!" Ed took his feet off his desk and stood up.

"You forgot the chemical make up. If we were doing reconstruction you would be dead," Ed said seriously. "Alchemy is no laughing matter. Do it wrong and you can die. Or worse." Ed briefly cast his eyes downwards, before looking looking back up at Malfoy. The class grew silent, and Hermione slowly raised her hand.

"Professor, what do you mean by worse?" She asked curiously. Ed turned around so his back was facing the class.

"Nothing. Class dismissed." Hermione raised her hand again.

"But Professor, the bell hasn't rung yet." She pointed out.

"I don't care!" He said harshly. "Class dismissed." The class rose uncertainly and left the room, leaving Ed alone in his room with his new pensieve.

* * *

**Okay, there it was [:**

**Sorry it wasn't that long, but for some reason I had a lot of trouble with this chapter...**

**Oh well, hopefully the next chapter will be better~**


	8. Reconstruction

**I deeply apologize for how late and short this chapter is. Instead of making up a bunch of excuses about what kept me from it, let's just say that I have NOT forgotten this story and it WILL be finished. Enjoy the chapter, and as always, thanks for reading~**

* * *

_**"You see, PROFESSOR Umbridge, I teach Alchemy. Alchemy is not magic, it's a science. It's impossible to make something out of nothing. I hope that you can respect that."**_

_**"Take care of Al."**_

_**Winry smiled.**_

_**"Of course." With that, the light grew so bright that Ed had to close his eyes and look away, and when he opened them she was gone.**_

_**"You forgot the chemical make up. If we were doing reconstruction you would be dead," Ed said seriously. "Alchemy is no laughing matter. Do it wrong and you can die. Or worse." Ed briefly cast his eyes downwards, before looking looking back up at Malfoy.**_

* * *

"Reconstruction is the continuation of the flow of energy so as to reform the material into a new shape." Ed recited as he scribbled on the chalkboard, before turning around to wait until the class had finished. Just as the last person was finishing up, there was a small knock at the door. Everyone turned around and looked at the door curiously. Ed frowned and called out.

"Come in!" There was a silent pause before the door opened slowly to reveal Dolores Umbridge. Ed visibly flinched, and doing so only made her smile widen.

"Hello, Professor Elric. I am sure that you were informed of the new position of High Inquisitor here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by Educational Decree Number Twenty-Three?" She asked haughtily.

"No." Ed replied bluntly. Her smile faltered for a moment, but it was back in a flash.

"No matter, I will just be sitting here quietly, taking notes. You'll hardly notice I'm here, so pay no mind." She conjured up a chair in the back corner of the classroom and whipped out a quill and clipboard. Ed shrugged before returning to his lesson.

"All right. Now that all of you have copied this down, let's try it." With a wave of his hand, the blocks from the previous class that had been reassembled by Ed, were distributed to all of the students who had passed the exam along with a piece of chalk. He turned to scribble the chemical make up and transmutation circle on the board.

"Now, I want you all to deconstruct your blocks, and instead of stopping just continue the flow of energy until it is reconstructed." Hermione's hand shot up and Ed nodded at her.

"Professor, what should we make?" She asked.

"Oh, right." Ed pondered for a moment. "Just make a small statue of any animal you choose. Just picture it in your mind. Now go ahead." The students drew the circles and attempted to transmutate the wood, but most of them just got to deconstruction when their light faltered. Ed sighed and shook his head before sitting in his chair and propping his feet up on his desk. He almost fell out of his chair in exasperation when there was a small 'hem-hem' coming from a certain person in a certain corner. Ed merely grunted loudly in response.

"What?"

"I was just curious, Professor Elric, as to how you expect the students to attempt such a high level of magic without proper demonstration first. It seems hardly fair, don't you agree?" She tutted and scribbled something down on her clipboard.

"It's not magic," Ed replied curtly. "It's alchemy and it's not high level. In fact, this is about as easy a transmutation as you can do." Her eyes shot up from her evaluation and narrowed slightly.

"Yet, it seems that your students are having an awful lot of trouble, are they not?" She gestured towards the wood blocks, most of which were a pile of rubble.

"Do you have a problem with the way I'm running my class? If you do then just spit it out!" Ed snarled. She smirked.

"Interesting." With a final stroke of her quill, she stood up and hobbled towards the door. Ed grit his teeth and clapped his hands together and placed them palms down on top of his desk. There was a bright blue flash and when it cleared in place of his desk was a huge gothic-style wooden statue of a dragon. It had large bat-like wings that spread out wide, and from his mouth came a large blast of fire. The class gasped in amazement before breaking out into applause. Ed paid no attention to the cheers coming from his students, as his glare was fixed on Umbridge. She turned around halfway and smiled once more.

"Interesting." She repeated, writing something else on her clipboard. She turned back and hobbled a little slower down the aisle and out the door, closing it with a quiet thud behind her. Ed grimaced.

"This is going to be fun." He thought to himself.

* * *

Ed casually strolled, or limped, down the sidewalk in Hogsmeade, stopping every once in a while to shoot students a warning look if they were misbehaving. Dumbledore had insisted that Ed chaperone the students' weekend trip to the quaint little village, so now Ed was stuck here with nothing to do. Although, it did prove to be a nice vacation from his stuffy classroom. He had to admit that he had hadn't been getting out much since he came to Hogwarts, most of which was probably due to his stubborn automail which still wasn't working quite right and was causing him quite a bit of pain. On the positive side, he had gained quite a bit of a reputation with the students. So much that no one dared ask him why his limp still has not improved.

A sudden shriek snapped Ed out of his daydream. He looked around urgently, trying to pinpoint the source. He spotted a seemingly abandoned bar a little ways down the street and he took off, painfully running as fast as he could. He burst through the doors out of breath and his leg screaming in pain.

"What's going on?!" He demanded. A large group of students whirled around in shock, as if they had been caught doing something wrong. "I heard a scream. Is everyone alright?" The students frantically nodded their heads. Ed breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness... But what are you all doing in here?" The students tensed up and looked around at each other nervously, before settling their eyes on Harry Potter who turned to whisper to Hermione. So quietly that Ed couldn't hear them and he had to settle for waiting impatiently for an explanation. Finally Harry turned back to face Ed.

"Professor, I'm afraid we need your help." Ed raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

* * *

**I'm not even going to try and apologize for how late and short this chapter is. So instead, let's just say that I will update as soon as I am able to and thank you for still reading [:**


	9. Third Exam

_**I'm not even gonna say anything about how late it is, except "enjoy"~**_

* * *

"Professor, I'm afraid we need your help." Ed raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Ed asked. Harry glanced at Hermione, who nodded. He took a deep breath.

"We need you to teach us." The room gasped.

"I thought I already was." Ed said, puzzled.

"No, not like that. Alchemy can be strong, right? Is it possible to fight with it?" Harry asked. Ed snorted.

"You don't think that I would be a Major State Alchemist in the Amestrian State Military if I can't fight, now do you?" Harry grinned.

"So, what is it exactly that you need my help with?" Harry looked at Hermione and she stepped forward.

"We need a teacher. A proper teacher. Not some batty old fool like Umbridge," Ed laughed at this, and Hermione smiled appreciatively. "We need to learn how to defend ourselves when the time comes." Ed frowned.

"When what time comes?" The room got quiet and Hermione paled a bit before taking a deep breath,

"When Lord Voldemort attacks." The group gasped collectively and several students shrank down in their chairs. Ed snorted.

"Well, I don't know who this Lord Voldy-whatever dude is, but I assure you that he's no match for alchemy!" This calmed down some of the students, except for Zacharias Smith who raised his hand.

"What makes you so sure, huh? You don't even know who he is, so how do you know you can win?!" He pointed out stubbornly. Ed grinned.

"I just do," With that, Ed turned and strode out of the pub. "Come by my office later, you three."

At that moment, Harry knew he made the right choice.

* * *

The Reconstruction Exam was going well. Ed hadn't fallen asleep yet, and the majority of the students were passing. When the last kid had finished, Ed announced the results. The kids who passed wooped and cheered, and those who failed banged their heads on their desks. Among those was Draco Malfoy.

"What do you mean I didn't pass?! That's ridiculous! I came by to retake every test and yet you still failed me!" Malfoy roared, his face an interesting shade of reddish purple. "There's no way that I could have failed all 3 tests! This is definitely rigged." With that, he stood up and stomped angrily towards the door. With one last pause, he whirled around and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"WAIT UNTIL MY FATHER HEARS ABOUT THIS!" With that, he was gone. Ed laughed, making no effort to hide it.

"Be sure to come by to retake it before it's time for the final exam!"

Ed was sitting at his desk after his last class had been dismissed, grading papers with a quill dipped in bright red ink. As he scrawled a rather large 'F', there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." The door opened to reveal a nervous looking trio of students. Ed stood up and put his quill down.

"Shut the door." Ron obeyed. Ed turned and opened the trapdoor leading to his bedroom and motioned for them to follow. He climbed down the ladder and told Ron to close the door behind him. Ed walked over to his bed and sat down.

"So, mind telling me again why you need me to teach you to fight?" Ed asked, skipping straight to the point. Harry took a step forward.

"Umbridge doesn't teach us anything. We need to be able to defend ourselves against Voldemort." Ron and Hermion flinched at the sound of his name, which didn't go unnoticed by Ed.

"So, who exactly is this Volde-whatever person?" The three students nervously looked at each other for a moment, before finally Harry took a deep breath and told Ed everything. He explained everything from Harry's birth, to the return of Voldemort. Ed listened closely, nodding occasionally. When the story was over Harry breathed a sigh of relief and tried to catch his breath. Ed had his elbows propped up on his knees, and was resting his forehead on his hands. After a moment, the three students realized that he was trembling.

"I think you scared him! After all, he's not much older than us despite being a teacher," Hermione whispered to Harry. Even though her voice was quiet, she still managed to convey the same amount of disapproval as her normal speaking voice. Hermione took a step closer and rested her hand on Ed's shoulder.

"Professor... it's alright to be sc-" She broke off mid sentence as Ed lifted up his head, his face a mask of pure rage. Hermione dropped her arm as if she had been electrocuted and took a step back.

"Tell all the other students to come to my classroom after class two days from now. Go." Ed ordered, his voice trembling with the effort of masking his fury. Without another word the three students scrambled up the ladder and out the door, making it slam behind them. When he was sure they had gone, he let out the breath that he had been holding. It had been a while since he felt this disgusted towards a person. It had been even longer since he had wanted to destroy a person this much. He stood up and climbed briskly out of the trapdoor, grabbing a piece of parchment along with a quill and some ink along the way. He sat down at his desk, and began writing his letter to Alphonse.

* * *

_**I hope you enjoyed, and I'll try to update faster next time [:~**_


	10. Final Exam

**_It's been a while, guys. I'm not gonna bother listing out my reasons for how long it's been... so I'll just say enjoy~_**

* * *

The students taking Alchemy walked into Professor Edward Elric's classroom, dreading what was to come. The final exam. Most of the students had studied as much as they could, unsure as to what material would be included. There were students like Hermione who had memorized her notes word for word, and those like Malfoy who didn't believe that he shouldn't bother studying, because that stupid professor would just fail him anyway. The class solemnly took their seats. Ed was sitting at his desk and his gaze swept over the students, wondering if any of them would actually manage to pass. He sighed and stood up. The class followed him with their eyes tensely. He walked over to the chalkboard and wrote a sentence, which Hermione read out loud.

"All is one, one is all?" She said hesitantly.

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Ron called out.

"That's the point," Ed explained calmly, "you have a week to come up with what you think the meaning is. If you get it right, you pass and get to take this class. If not, then you fail and have to switch out of this class." Hermione looked like she was about to pass out. Ed continued.

"But since all of the other classes are full, you would get to be Mr... Flich? Flitch? Flach? What was his name again?" Hermione cautiously called out.

"Mr. Filch, sir?"

"Ah, yeah. Him." The class groaned collectively as they copied down what was written on the board.

"Alright. That's all I planned for today, so I guess you guys can just have free time." A Gryffindor student raised his hand.

"Sir, how did you learn Alchemy?" Ed sat down in his desk and propped his feet up.

"Well, when I was young my brother and I learned alchemy from reading my dad's books. When I was 9 my brother and I found a teacher and we learned from her," Ed smiled fondly at the thought of Izumi Curtis. "Although, you guys are lucky. When she asked us the same question I just asked you, we were dumped on an island for one month and we had to survive without alchemy. At the end of the month we gave her the correct answer, and that's when she took us under her wing." Ron raised his hand.

"But, Professor... you had a month to come up with the answer and we only get a week!" He complained. Ed shrugged.

"Yeah, but I was 9 years old and my brother was only 8. But, you make a good point, Weasley. All right, how about this," The class looked at him curiously. "I'll postpone your exam, but next class we're going to have a camping trip!" The class looked on in horror. Hermione called out.

"B-but Professor, where would we go?" Ed thought about it for a moment.

"How about that nearby forest?" He suggested. Hermione gasped in horror.

"Professor! There's a reason why that place is called the Forbidden Forest! Students aren't allowed!" He shrugged.

"I'm sure I could get permission from Dumbledore to let us stay there. After all, I'll be with you so don't pee your pants, Granger." She blushed in embarrassment and began to pout. Ed grinned evilly.

"Next class you are to bring no supplies. We are going to be living off the land. Oh and also," His grin widened. "No wands." The class erupted in protest.

"Professor, that's outrageous! You're not a wizard, you can't possibly be able to defend yourself, let alone us, without magic!"

"Yeah! You're not from Hogwarts! Do you even know what kind of creatures lurk in the... D-Dark Forest?!"

"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU, QUIET!" Ed yelled. The class fell quiet, although many of them kept the defiant look in their eyes.

"I'm the teacher, and what I say, goes! Do you understand? Feel free to walk out of this classroom right now if you don't want to learn how to defend yourselves without those precious little sticks of yours. What would happen if in the middle of a battle your stick breaks? What would you do then? You would die, that's what!" The class looked down guiltily. "Of course, if you're willing to take that chance then by all means there's the door. Say hi to Lord Voldemort for me as he's standing over you dealing the final blow." The class cringed at the mention of he-who-must-not-be-named.

"Don't underestimate my alchemy. You haven't seen what it can do yet." A Slytherin student in the back of the class managed to find her voice.

"Why don't you show us?" The class murmured their agreement. Ed checked his pocket watch. They had over an hour left of class.

"Very well. Follow me," He strode down the aisle as fast as he could without limping. "Bring your things." The class packed their things, stood up, and followed him, jogging slightly to keep up.

* * *

After many turns and twists through the corridors, the class finally found themselves in the Training Grounds where the students had their first flying lesson.

"In the Amestrian State Military, State Alchemists are given various titles that refer to their style of combat. My title is Fullmetal, so obviously my forte is the transmutation of...?"

"Metal." The class filled in. Ed nodded.

"Yes. I usually prefer to make various types of swords and other weapons. But my main method of fighting is transmutating my aut-" Ed managed to catch himself before he said 'automail', and the class looked at him curiously. He cleared his throat.

"Ummm... yeah. My main method of fighting is... transmutation... I usually make inanimate solid objects. So, who wants to come at me first?"

The class waited for him to say he was joking, but his face did not falter. The class took a step back, except for one student who then looked behind him in shock.

"Alright, Potter. Thanks for volunteering. Take out your stick." Harry nervously drew his wand from his robes and stood there, unsure as to what he was supposed to do next.

"Don't be nervous, I won't hurt you," Harry didn't feel very reassured, but he loosened up his stance nonetheless. "...much." Ed added too quietly for anyone to hear.

"Ok, Potter. You may have the first strike." Harry gulped and pointed his wand at Ed.

"Stupefy!" His voice rang out and a beam of red light shot out from the end of his wand and headed straight for Ed, who jumped nimbly (although not as nimbly as usual due to his defecting automail) out of the way. He clapped his palms together and slammed them on the ground. When the bright blue light cleared, the class gasped in amazement to see a large stone hand had appeared, and intertwined in its fingers stood Harry, a look of shock on his face. Ed grinned.

"Who's next?" Several of the students raised their hands, eager to get closer so they could examine his technique. However, they were stopped by an angry voice that made them all shrink.

"Professor Elric! What in the world do you think you're doing!" Professor McGonagall's face was a mask of pure rage and she strode angrily over towards the group of students, as Umbridge hobbled beside her.

"What does it look like? We're doing a demonstration." Ed said calmly.

"And what a demonstration it must be! Release him at once!" She commanded. Ed shrugged and transmutated the hand back into the ground. Harry scampered back into the crowd of students.

"You... this... just... COME WITH ME, RIGHT NOW!" McGonagall angrily grabbed Ed's right arm and he winced in pain.

"Dolores, please take the students back to the alchemy classroom and watch over them until class is dismissed." Umbridge smiled.

"Certainly. Come along, children." The students looked at Ed being dragged away guiltily, wishing they had never suggested this.

* * *

McGonagall continued to drag Ed along by his right arm, and he had to bite his lip to keep from crying out in pain. She glanced back and was shocked at the expression on his face. She dropped her arm and he sighed in relief, rubbing the joint where the automail met with his shoulder.

"Are you all right?" He looked up and met her eyes.

"Peachy." She frowned and instructed him to follow her and he reluctantly gave in, still rubbing his shoulder. Before long, he found himself at the gargoyle entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Acid Pops." The gargoyle moved to reveal the staircase leading up to the door to his office. She knocked on the door, tapping her foot impatiently. When a voice coming from inside instructed them to proceed, she wasted no time opening the doors and shoving him inside first.

"I found him in the Training Grounds with his class, doing what he called a 'demonstration'." Dumbledore raised an eyebrow from behind his desk.

"What is the problem, Minerva?"

"Oh, nothing really... it's just that his idea of a demonstration, is attacking his students!" Ed rolled his eyes and Dumbledore's eyes turned serious.

"Is that true, Professor Elric?" McGonagall switched her glare to Ed and he sighed.

"No... well, yes. Well, not really. The students were doubting my ability and they suggested a demonstration, so I took them out to the Training Grounds to demonstrate my abilities. The best way to do that seemed to be a dueling match," McGonagall snorted and Dumbledore nodded for Ed to continue. "A student volunteered and I allowed him to take the first strike. I dodged it, then trapped him. It's not like I hurt him or anything..." McGonagall gave him a warning look. "...It was for... learning's sake?" Dumbledore nodded.

"I understand your intentions, but I cannot accept your actions. Is it your wish to be removed from Hogwarts? I believe it would be most interesting to see what Mr. Mustang would have to say about that." Ed paled at the thought of returning to Roy with his mission failed. But in his mind he pictured Al and Winry, and how much he longed to be with them again.

"I can't. I need to finish my assignment here," Dumbledore smiled. Ed thought of the promise that he made to the students to aid them with their plan, and he just wouldn't be able to live with himself if they were all massacred by Lord Voldysomething. "Also, I would like my students and I to go on an overnight camping trip in the forest 2 days from now. I will be with them at all times, so I assure you that they will be in no danger." He said sincerely. McGonagall's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Very well." McGonagall took a step towards Dumbledore.

"But, Albus..."

"No buts, Minerva. That is my decision. You are dismissed." She sighed and turned for the door, followed by Ed.

"Edward, wait a moment please." He stopped and turned, confused.

Dumbledore walked over to him and placed his hand on Ed's right shoulder. His hand began to become warm, then warmer, then warmer, and soon it became uncomfortably hot. After a moment Dumbledore withdrew his hand and began to do the same for his left knee.

"What was that for?" Ed asked, puzzled.

"Wait a moment..." Ed waited until his knee became burning hot and Dumbledore removed his hand. "There. Now try to move." Ed complied and gave his arm a hesitant wiggle. He was shocked to see that he felt no pain. He moved his leg as well and was elated to be met with the same results.

"Now you may leave. I am excited to hear about the results of your camping trip." Ed grinned, overjoyed to finally be back to his normal, pain-free state. He turned and practically skipped down the staircase and back to his classroom, leaving Dumbledore in his office chuckling to himself.

* * *

Ed threw the door to his classroom open and walked towards his desk confidently, only to shudder at the sight of Umbridge sitting in his desk and the students reading from the Alchemy Textbook. They turned towards him with a desperate look in their eyes, as if they were begging to be saved. He frowned.

"I thought I got rid of all of those." He said simply. Umbridge smiled.

"Oh? I just happened to come across a rather large stack of them in the storage room. I simply could not bear the thought of these sweet, sweet children wasting the remainder of their valuable class time, so I took the liberty of running your class for you during your...absence." Ed refrained himself from throwing her out the window and merely smiled as kindly as he could manage without the need to vomit.

"That was very thoughtful of you, but fortunately I have returned so your presence is no longer needed. Good day." Her smile faltered for a moment and it was replaced with a look of disdain. She stood up and hobbled towards the door.

"Glad to be of assistance, hee-hee!" She slammed the door behind her and Ed strode to his desk, now limp-free.

"Alright. Now that that's done, who's looking forward to the camping trip?" The class grinned and everyone raised their hands.

* * *

_**Did you like Dumbledore's spell? Don't ask me what it's called because I made it up. So, quarter exams are coming up but I promise to update as soon as I can, as always. So, I hope you enjoyed it~ **_

_**Look forward to the camping trip :D~**_


	11. Camping Trip

_**Hey guys, it's been a while... Don't get too excited, it's pretty short. Thankfully, school is finally out so hopefully I'll update more frequently. I also want to rewrite the earlier chapters, because I read then recently and I cringed at how bad it was...**_

_**Oh well, enjoy~**_

* * *

Malfoy stomped along the Hogwarts' corridors, elbowing any student who was unlucky enough to cross his path out of the way. He whisked around a corner and collided with a first year, who blubbered out an apology. Malfoy simply sneered and kicked the scattered papers away before continuing his journey to Professor Edward Elric's classroom. At last, he reached the heavy door and proceeded to bang on it with his fist. When a reply didn't come immediately, he pounded again and this time hollered.

"PROFESSOR, OPEN UP!" He shouted impatiently. Again, no response. He tutted and drew his wand.

"Alohomora!" He chanted. The door unlocked and he shoved it open and strode inside. He looked around, and Ed was nowhere to be seen. He gave an irritated sigh and turned to leave, but something caught his eye. He walked over to the desk, and peered curiously at Edward Elric's Pensieve.

* * *

"Is everyone here?" Ed questioned the assembled students. "Where's Malfoy?"

"Right here, Professor!" Malfoy came jogging up, wearing an unusually large grin on his face. Ed ignored it and checked him off on the attendance as present.

"Alright," Ed held out a large sack. "Everyone drop your wands in here and then we can begin." The students hesitated for a moment before drawing their wands and then proceeding to form a line and one by one they deposited their wands. Once all the wands were collected, Ed instructed the class to follow him and he turned to stride, free of his limp, towards the Forbidden Forest.

* * *

Once he reached the edge of the trees, he turned to face the class.

"Headmaster Dumbledore told me about a small clearing that would be ideal for camping out. It's a little way in, so be sure to stay together," The students looked at each other nervously. "Don't worry. I'm here after all." Ed puffed out his chest a bit and resumed his fast pace, the rest of the students jogging slightly to keep up.

* * *

After about 30 minutes of walking, the group finally entered a small clearing and Ed instructed them to set up shelter. The students looking around them in confusion.

"But sir, where are the tents?" Hermione asked. Ed simply pointed at the nearest tree.

"Right there," He reached into the sack and withdrew a rather large knife and tossed it on the ground in front of the students. "Now get to it." The students glanced at each other, then back at the knife, then at each other, and back again.

"So no one wants to volunteer? Alright then." He began to count the students off by three, and instructed them to get with their groups.

"Group 1 will be in charge of the fire, Group 2 will be in charge of food, and Group 3 will make the shelters." The students groaned and set about their duties. Ed sighed in satisfaction and settled down in a nice shady spot beneath a particularly large tree, and soon rewarded himself with a quick nap.

* * *

"-ssor..."  
...

"fessor...!" A voice startled Ed and he opened his eyes sleepily.

"PROOOFEEEESSSOORRRR!" His eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet in alarm, looking around wildly.

"WHAT?! WHAT'S GOING ON?!" His crazy gaze was met by a group of confused students.

"...Dinner is ready." A Slytherin student said, hiding a snicker.

"O-oh. Great," He looked up to notice that the sun had fallen low in the sky. "What did you manage to find?" He took a seat on a log around the campfire. A Gryffindor student handed him three berries and Ed sighed. The class ate their berries and began to chat with each other. After a while, it turned into a Q&A with Professor Elric.

"Professor, how did you learn alchemy?" Harry asked curiously.

"My brother and I became curious and we taught ourselves the basics from my father's alchemy books." Ed recalled.

"Oh, so your father taught you? Are you close?" Hermione asked. Draco stifled a laugh and Hermione turned to look at him strangely.

"No," Ed replied shortly. "Someone else taught me."

"Who?"

"A housewife." Ed smiled fondly. Hermione frowned and was about to ask another question when she was interrupted by her own stomach growling. She blushed in embarassment and stared at the campfire. The noise of her stomach was soon echoed throughout all the students, and the professor as well.

"If you guys want food, go get some." Group 2 reluctantly stood up and was about to depart, when a Gryffindor student stopped them.

"D-did you hear that?" He choked out. Everyone's faces went pale and the campsite went silent, everyone strained to hear even the faintest sound. A loud twig snapped and their heads whipped around towards the direction that it came from, their eyes gaping into the darkness. A glowing pair of eyes met theirs, and Ed slowly stood up.

"Don't. Move. A muscle." The class gulped and obeyed. They all stood in silence, praying that whatever was there would lose interest and leave. They then breathed a sigh of relief as a doe slowly entered the clearing, followed by a young fawn. Ed glanced at the class and was relieved to see that they were all looking at each other excitedly, with large smiles on their faces. The doe and her fawn had almost left the clearing when suddenly there was a loud growl and a large bear emerged from the darkness and pounced on the mother. A girl screamed and the bear's head whipped around and his beady black eyes stared at the group of humans. He reared up on his legs and lumbered towards them, leaving the fawn nudging his mother.

"Stay back!" Ed ordered and he whipped out the knife. The kids trembled in fear and retreated to the far other side of the clearing. The bear eyed him for a moment before turning away and heading towards the students.

"H-hey! Are you saying I'm not good enough for you?!" Ed screamed and charged at the bear. "I'm not a pipsqueak!" The bear turned and swatted at him with his massive paw, sending Ed through the air, only to land on the hard ground with a thud. He winced and struggled a bit to stand up.

"Look!" A student exclaimed. Ed looked up to see the fawn charging at the bear. The bear swatted at the young deer, who ducked under his paw and rammed his head into the bear's stomach. The bear recoiled and took a step back, looking at the nuisance angrily. Ed scrambled to his feet and jumped on the bear's back, slashing him in the shoulder with the knife. The bear roared in pain and shook Ed off his back before turning and running back into the forest. After the bear was long gone, the students ran over to the doe, who still hadn't moved.

"Leave her be!" Ed instructed.

"But, Professor! She's hurt!" Harry exclaimed. Ron grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him away from the wounded deer. The class parted and the fawn approached them cautiously. A Gryffindor student held out a hand hesitantly, and the mother stirred. The baby ran to his mother's side, and the doe stood up shakily. The fawn nuzzled his mother, and they both walked out of the clearing, and back into the forest.

"I understand." Harry said suddenly.

"Understand what, Harry?" Ron asked.

"The lesson! Don't you see? All is one, and one is all." The other students looked at Harry as if he were crazy, and Ed merely smiled.

"And?" Ed pushed. Harry grinned excitedly.

"I am one, and everything is all." Ed turned away from the students and smiled proudly.

"I'll see you all tomorrow in class. Let's go to sleep."

* * *

_**And on that note, I'm gonna head off to bed too. I had a lot of trouble with this chapter for some reason... Writer's block, I guess?**_

_**(P.S. HI TENZIN!)**_


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